Oakland University is earmarking more than $400,000 for compensation increases for the 2013-14 season, the school's first in the Horizon, according to documents obtained by The Oakland Press through a Freedom of Information request, effective July 1.

Director of Athletics Tracy Huth said the increases were vital to maintaining successful programs and were based on other programs in the conference. He stressed that his department used caution in meting out the raises, paid for by anticipated revenue increases.

Advertisement

Men's basketball coach Greg Kampe is slated to receive a $50,000 increase, bringing his annual base salary to $226,671. Huth said Kampe's contract is in effect until June 2017. In total, Kampe and his staff will see almost $100,000 in pay raises next season.

"There's a huge expectation," Kampe said. "We're not in Kansas anymore. The university understands there's a monetary step to this transition."

Former Oakland women's basketball coach Beckie Francis was in line for a $10,000 increase, raising her base compensation to $136,000 per season. Francis was fired June 12.

The university released a statement Friday that Francis was fired after an internal review into the program that followed indications of improper conduct. She had been suspended without pay since May 30.

Francis has commented on the situation, while Huth declined to comment.

An increase in compensation was approved May 7, as the school's Board of Trustees approved a projected budget for the 2014 fiscal year which included moving the school's athletics to the Horizon after a 15-year stay in the Summit League.

An increase of $442,101, attributed "mainly to salary market adjustments" in the budget, is part of a $4.3 million total in annual compensation expected in the school's debut year in the conference. Huth said he and his staff spent almost two weeks divvying up the funds while ensuring the school was spending within its means.

"It's not just a $400,000 increase and we're crossing our fingers," he said, adding the department's reserve balance would cover the costs if projections did not meet reality. Those projections are based on factors such as guaranteed payouts from men's basketball games, sponsorships and attendance, he said.

The budget for the 2014 fiscal year is projecting $150,000 in ticket sales, $300,000 in team guarantees, almost $400,000 in NCAA revenues and another $775,000 from other sources.

Oakland University is expected to pay a $250,000 fee upon exiting the Summit League and another $882,000 to enter the Horizon, both one-time fees.

Reductions in travel costs and increased class time for its student athletes were two of the biggest factors for making the move, administrators have said. The 2014 budget calls for travel expenditures of $1,075,000, which is $225,000 less than what was spent on travel in the 2013 fiscal year.

Huth alluded to a desire to offer Kampe a more significant pay increase. Kampe currently has the third-longest tenure in Division I college basketball, according to a study by D1scource.com. He was also ranked 17th on Forbes' January report on the best mid-major coaches for the money, which examined coaches' cost per victory.

"We'd like to be more competitive," Huth said of Kampe's salary. "We're fortunate we have a coach who's been here a long time and he loves the place and wants to be here. If you were to look at the Horizon League and see where those positions fall in, you're going to find that where our men's (basketball) coach's salary falls in is maybe not as high as some people think."

The increases were not limited to the men's basketball program. Coaches and assistants from Oakland University's other programs, including men's and women's soccer, baseball, volleyball, softball, also are scheduled to receive increases, but none higher than $17,492. Most of the increases are less than $10,000 per season.

Huth acknowledged the attention Oakland University's men's basketball program has brought to the school in years past, with an eye on what it could mean with a move to a more competitive conference.

"We've seen what our men's basketball program can do exposure-wise," he said. "It's our best opportunity to generate revenue and exposure for athletics and the university."

Kampe said he's worked harder that at any point in his tenure since the school announced the conference change early last month. He recently announced the addition of a December meeting at Indiana to go with dates at North Carolina, UCLA and Gonzaga next season.

"We're the engine that has to do its job," he said. "There's a ton of pressure. I feel it.